Screw driver



March 5, W, C, STARKEY 1,704,062

SCREW DRIVER Filed Aug. 1e, 192e Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES APn'rrzu'r orifice.

WILLIAM CARLETON STARKEY, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO L. G. S. DE-

VICES CORPORATION, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SCREW DRIVER.

Application filed August 1G, 1926. Serial No. 129,320.

It is the object of my invention to produce a ratchet. device particularly. adaptable to screw drivers or similar tools. More specically, it is my object to produce a ratchet device which may be employed in interconnecting the tool and its operating member in such a manner that oscillation of the operating member will produce rotation of the tool in either direction or in such a manner'that theoperating member and tool-may bc rigidly interconnected.

l accomplish the above object by interconnecting the tool and operating member with a pair of coil springs, each of which is operatively connected to 4one of such parts and extends into a recess in the other of such parts, each springhaving an external diameter less than the diameter of its associated recess, and I provide means by which the recessed member may be connected to either or both of such springs.

|The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. 1 is `a longitudinal central section of my device applied to a screw driver, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of aslightly modified form of screw driver.

'lhc screw driver to which my invention is shown as applied embodies the usual shank and point 11. v Fixed to the shank 10 in spaced relation are two members 12 and'13 to which are respectivel connected two coil springs 14 and 15. Ciinveniently, the adjacent axial faces of the two members 12 and 13 are recessed for the 'reception of such coil springs. The two members 12 and 13 extend into opposite ends of the axial bore of a handle 16, such handle being counterbored for this purpose. Desirably, the handle 16 is provided with a cap 17 which mayv be screwthreadedly mounted on the handle.

The internal diameter of the cups 12 `and 13`is slightly smaller than the normal external diameter of the springs 14 and 15 in -order operatively to connect such springs with the shanli'l() of the screw driver. This method of interconnecting the springs and the screw driver shanlcis desirable, but 1s not necessary to my 1nvent1on,as any. means may be employed which will cause or which site axial faces of an actuatin which it will tend to cause the springs to rotate with the shank 10. I

These portions of the bore of the handle 1x16 diameter of the springs in order that there will be no friction between the springs and the inner surface of the handle v16 when the springs are unstressed. Y

The adjacent ends of the springs 14 and 15 are bent toward each other and engage-oppomember 20 which 1s slidable within the han le 16. Preferably, and the axial faces of the actuating member 20 provided with a peripheral series of radial grooves which may engage the spring ends.

The actuating member 20 is provided with a shifting member 21 which extends through an axial slot 22 in the wall of the handle 16 for use in shifting the actuating member 20. The pin 21 is preferably provided with a head 23, such head being located in a recess 24 in the outer surface of the handle 16 in order that it may-not interfere withtheoperation of' the screw driver. To hold the actuating member 20 in any of its positions of adjustment, a spring 25 is connected to the pin 21 and is provided with a li 26 adapted to engage any one of three notches 27 in the handle 16 of the screw driver.

The actuating member 2O is shown in the drawings as being in its middle position in engages the inner ends of'both of the springs 14 and 15. The springs 14 and 15 are both wound in the same direction. The springs. are shown as being right-hand wound, but they might be left-hand wound springs without affecting the operation of the device When the handle V16 is rotated, such rotation will cause one or the other of the springs 14 and 15 to vunwind partially and to expand into firm frictional en agement with the inner surface of the hand e 16, and this frictional engagement will serve to clutch the handle 16 rmly to the shaft 10, so that the screwdriver will operate as if the handle 16 and shank 10 are integral.

To use the screw driver as a ratchet screw the spring ends are pointed somewhatI driver, the actuating member is moved from its middle position to one of its end positions/depending upon the direction in which it is desired to rotate the screw which is engaged by the point 11. v If it is desired to rotate the screw in a clockwise direction, the actuating member 20 is movedtoward the screw driver point 11 until the lip 26 of the spring 25 engages the lower notch 27. rlhis movement of the actuating member 2O frees it from its engagement with the spring 15 lwhile still keeping itin engagement with ating member, the handle 16 can be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction without producing rotation of the shank 10.

When it is desired to use my device as a ratchet screw driver to turn a screw in a counter-clockwise direction, the actuating member 20 is moved to its upper position o'ut of engagement with the spring 14. Free rotationof` the handle 16 in aclockwise direction can then occur, but counter-clockwise rotation of the handle will result in therunwinding ofthe spring 15, thus causing the spring to expand into firm engagement with the inner surface of the handle.

' In Fig. 2 is illustrated a dierent means for moving. the spring-actuating member 20. In

this construction, the shifting pin 21 extends' through the slot 22 in the handle 16 and into a helical slot 31 in a collar 32 which is rotatable on the handle 16 and which vis prevented 'from moving axially o such handle. With the collar 32m' position shown in the drawing, the spring-actuating vmember 20 is in its middle position and in engagement with both of the springs 14 and 15. By rotating the collar 32 relatively to the handle 16, it will be evident that the actuating member 20 can i be moved axially of the handle to free it from engagement with either f the springsv 14.

. and 15.

The construction described, in which the outer ends of` the springs are connected to adjac'ent spring-endsmmay Abe :disconnected i from the other rotatable ',member, although one rotatable 1nember wl1ile either of the not essential to my invention is convenient 1n Ithat it makes possibleasim le means 'for disconnecting either spring om the handle member. In the construction described,

, opposite ends of the springs are connected or are connectible to the same rotatable member, and the two s rings are similarly wound;

but it will be evi ent that the relationofthe direction of winding of one spring to that of the other will depend on whether opposite or corresponding ends of two springs are connected to the same rotatable member. I claiml as my invention: p

1. A ratchet device, comprising'a driven member, a driving member rotatable relatively to saiddriven member and co-axial therewith, two coil springs each operatively connected to one of said members and extendsuch members, each of ysaid coil springs having an external diameter normally less than the diameter of its associated recess, and means for connecting each of said springs to its associated recessed member and for disconnecting it therefrom, the parts being arranged so that when either of said springs is connected to its associated recessed member rotation of the driving member in a direction tending to unwind such spring will cause such spring to expand intofirm frictional engagement with the walls of its associated recess.

2. .A ratchet device, comprising a driven member, a driving member rotatable relative ly to said driven memberand co-axial therewith, two coil springs each operatively connected to one of said members and extending into a circular axial recess in the other of such members, each of said coil springs having an external diameter normally less than the diameter of its. associated recess, and means for connecting each of said springs to its associated recessed member and for disconnecting it therefrom said means being inoperative to effect the disconnection of both -1ng into a circular axialrecess in the other of springs at the same time, the parts being ar- 3.`V A ratchet device,y comprising two rel-- atively rotatable co-axial members, one` of said members having anaxial bore, similarly wound coil springslocated within said bored` member and having their outer ends connected to the other of said members, said springs Shaving normally an external diameter less than the diameter of such bore, and means 1ocated in such bore between the adjacent ends of said springs for connecting either or bth of said springs to said bored member.

4. A ratchet device, comprising two relatively rotatable co-axial members, one of said members having an axial bore, similarly vwound coil springs located within said bored member and having their outer ends connect- 4edto the other oi said members, said springs having normally anexternal diameter less than the diameter of such bore. and an actu- .Y yatmg' member rotatable with said bored memiso ber and located between the adjacent ends of Said springs, sai

' slidable into and out of adjacent springend.

d actuating member being engagement with each 5, `A ratchet device as set forth in cla-im et,I With the addition that said actuating member near the. mid

-point of its travel engages and twenty-six.

both spring-ends, and releasably lockable WILLIAM CRLETON STARKEY. 

